Latest news with #comedyfestival
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Edinburgh Fringe's funniest joke award scrapped for 2025
Edinburgh Fringe's annual funniest joke award has been scrapped for this year's comedy festival, organisers have confirmed (no joke).The award, launched in 2008 - providing many humorous headlines - is usually presented by the TV channel U&Dave [formerly Dave], which is owned by its bosses said in a statement it was on pause "as our commissioning focus evolves", so it could "reflect on how we continue to support comedy in the best way possible."It added: "While we're resting the award this year, we remain committed to championing great comedy across U&Dave and beyond, and we'll always look for ways to bring laughter to audiences in exciting ways." A witty pun about a sailing trip, listed below, was named as the funniest joke at last year's prize has been criticised in some quarters for its tendency to always favour one-liners, while others have noted its ability to shine a light on newer noted it had been "originally created to celebrate and spotlight grassroots comedy talent."The esteemed but seperate Edinburgh comedy award recognises the best performance and routine overall each the funniest joke gong has been a mainstay of the festival for the best part of two decades, apart from during the Covid-19 jokes are usually chosen by a panel of comedians and critics, then sent anonymously to 2,000 members of the public to collectively choose their is a selection of winners from recent years that you can pass off as your own in the pub later on: Mark Simmons last year: "I was going to sail around the globe in the world's smallest ship but I bottled it."Lorna Rose Treen in 2023: "I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah."Masai Graham in 2022: "I tried to steal spaghetti from the shop, but the female guard saw me and I couldn't get pasta."Olaf Falafel in 2019: "I keep randomly shouting out "Broccoli" and "Cauliflower" - I think I might have Florets."Adam Rowe in 2018: "Working at the job centre has to be a tense job - knowing that if you get fired, you still have to come in the next day."Ken Cheng in 2017: "I'm not a fan of the new pound coin, but then again, I hate all change."Masai Graham in 2016: "My dad has suggested that I register for a donor card. He's a man after my own heart."Darren Walsh in 2015: "I just deleted all the German names off my phone. It's Hans free."Tim Vine in 2014: "I've decided to sell my Hoover - well, it was just collecting dust." Following the announcement that the award was to be "rested", production company Need to Know Comedy announced that it was reviving its (Some Guy Called) Dave award, calling for festival acts to email across one-liners from their show in exchange for a potential cash Margoyles, Jenny Eclair and Bill Bailey are among the performers appearing in more than 3,000 shows at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which begins on Friday 1 August.
CBC
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Just for Laughs founder goes to police after altercation at sex assault civil trial
The founder of the Just for Laughs comedy festival says he has filed a police complaint following an altercation at his civil trial. Ex-comedy mogul Gilbert Rozon is being sued for nearly $14 million by nine women alleging sexual assault. Actress Danie Frenette, one of the plaintiffs, hurled insults at Rozon during a break in the trial on Thursday. The plaintiff's husband also allegedly grabbed Rozon and threatened to strangle him outside the courtroom after he denied the woman's allegations during his testimony. Rozon told reporters he filed a complaint with police against Frenette's husband over the alleged incident. after a 2020 Quebec Court of Appeal ruling. Also in 2020, a Quebec court judge found Rozon not guilty of rape and indecent assault connected to events alleged to have taken place in 1980 involving Annick Charette.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Droitwich Rik Mayall Comedy Festival boosts economy
The town that hosted the first Rik Mayall Comedy Festival has seen an economic boost with "best-ever" takings for businesses, a councillor has venues hosted 200 events in Droitwich, where the Young Ones star grew up – one of the most familiar faces on television in the 1980s and 1990s - but organisers said even the businesses that weren't hosting events have seen a record Morris, leader of Wychavon District Council, said the festival, which centred on Norbury Theatre where the performer first trod the boards, exceeded all expectations."It's been such a magnificent week," Morris said. "There's been such a buzz, such a great atmosphere, keeping Rik's memory alive. Antiques and pubs "It's 11 years ago to the day since he passed and as Greg Davies said, not enough was made of such an icon of comedy and we wanted to do that in Droitwich."Davies, one of the comedians who took part, had said Mayall "defined decades of comedy" and had not been celebrated told the BBC: "I think that him and his peers changed comedy totally. It moved it into an entirely different gear, a different arena, and I remember loving the fact that my parents didn't get it." Morris said he hoped the festival would become an annual event, adding: "Certainly, that's where we will be focusing on what have we learnt."Morris said there had been a big impact not only on Mayall's legacy, but also on the have not yet been compiled but the effect had been seen anecdotally, he said, adding: "Antique shops told me they had four times the takings they normally would, their best-ever takings."One of the pubs has said it's been their best-ever takings since they've been in operation."It's anecdotal and we've got to verify that, but if that's the feeling they've got, it's got to have had a really good effect." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
South West's largest comedy festival returns this weekend
The South West's largest comedy festival has returned for its second year -promising to be twice as big as the first. The Exeter Comedy Festival, which features more than 60 shows in 15 venues across four days, is taking place this week until Sunday 8 June. Pubs, hairdressers and piano shops are among businesses across the city which were converting into temporary venues. Bridget Christie, Tim Key, Reginald D. Hunter and David O'Doherty are among some of the big names appearing. "We can't wait for people to see all the great shows we have to offer," festival organiser Georgia Thomas said. Audiences will find both established TV comedians and strong local acts on the line-up. Taskmaster's Bridget Christie and Mark Watson are among those to come, while Tim Key launched his new poetry book L.A. Baby! in an interview with cult-favourite Daniel Kitson on Thursday. Cornish Comedian of the Year Ben Treloar and Exeter's own Ed Tripp will also be appearing. In 2022, JoJo Maberly performed her first ever stand-up gig in Exeter. Three years later, after scooping up an armful of awards, she's back with her full length show Angst & Angstability. "When I started there was one gig a week so I would go every week and write new material," she said."Now there are so many shows coming to the festival - it's so great to see the comedy world come alive in Exeter." The weekly gig, Locally Sourced, is still going and its organisers are the brains behind the festival. "In the days of social media, gathering people together is an almost revolutionary act," organiser and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Will Adamsdale said. "And yet when we do it, we love it and feed off it."An exhibition of art produced by comedians performing at the festival is open to the public at the Exeter Picturehouse.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Friends of comedy giant Rik Mayall enjoy festival in his memory
A comedy festival in memory of Rik Mayall has been proclaimed a huge success with friends of the actor and writer saying he would have loved died 11 years ago and more than 200 performances have been taking place this week across 30 different venues in his hometown of Droitwich, in Worcestershire as part of a celebration of the Davies, Helen Lederer and Shaparak Khorsandi have taken part with Mayall's friend and collaborator Ben Elton the festival's patron."Of course he would love it what's not to love?" said friend Lederer. "He would say bring it on." "I know he would have loved it, because he got some stinky reviews - he carried on, it's a very competitive world and he believed in what he was doing and he's no different to anyone else."Earlier this week, Lederer took part in an intimate and no-holds-barred evening at a sold-out Norbury Theatre, where Mayall first performed as a child. She said the festival was "eight days of amazing comedy events, a mix and match of free events".Speaking afterwards, she described her favourite memories of Mayall, who she said was always encouraging and "accepting of everyone"."He loved what he did and he loved what other people did, and apart from being the most charismatic performer ever," she have said they would like to make it an annual event and local traders said the town had been extremely Fellows, landlady of the Old Cock Inn which sits opposite the theatre, has been hosting events. "It's been amazing. Absolutely fantastic, " she said."You just couldn't imagine I don't think the impact on Droitwich that's it's had."She said so much had been going on and that she had enjoyed hosting acts."We've just been rammed all day - Saturday was just a stupidly insane day busy-wise and I think the whole town was just buzzing with it and even for a Monday night we had two nearly sell-out shows here and we've got sell out shows all week which is great."It's not just for local people, there's people down from Scotland, from Dorset staying all week or the weekend." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
